Washing apparatus



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.2 Sheets-Sheet l March 4,19%'. Y H. E. MERSELES wAsHNG APPARATUS Filed June 18r ,1921

March 19245 H. E. MERSELES WASHING APPARATUS Filed June 1a. 1921 2 sheets-sheet z INVEN'VTOR #wif/: f. i; f

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M A T'ToRNEY.

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EEES, OF BROVHZLE, N .'0.

WASHING rares.

Application led June 1t, 1921. Serial No. 478,492.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that li, HERBERT E. MER- sELEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bronxville, in the county of- Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Washing Apparatus, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to washing apparatus and has for an object to facilitate the placing of the articles to be washed in washing position and the removal of the articles from such position. A

The dish racks customarily used in dish washing machines are so heavy, when filled with dishes, that it is difficult to lift them vertically and they may be satisfactorily handled only by sliding them horizontally. lt has, therefore, been customary to provide washing machines with side openings through which such racks may be slid onto a fixed support in the chamber in which the washing takes place. Such washing` machines have proved objectionable because it has been found impossible, as a practical matter, to provide removable closures for side openings in the washing chamber which will ett'ectively prevent water from leaking out through these sideopenings during the washing operation.

The present invention aims to do away with the disadvantages inherent in side openings in the Washing chamber'while at the same time retaining the advantage which was secured by the side openings, that is to say, avoiding any handling of the racks by the attendant other than a simple horizontal y'sliding of them.

lin accordance with the present invention, the washing chamber is in the form of a tank whose only opening is at the top. Within the tank is a movable support and means f are provided for moving the support substantially vertically between washing position in the tank and a position at the level of the upper edge of the tank. When the support is in the latter position racks of dishes may be moved onto it from a fixed l support outside the tank or moved from it onto the ixed support by a simple horizontal sliding of the racks. rlhe handling is thus as simple as in side door machines, while the leakage inherent in such machines is entirely eliminated, by placing the opening at the top of the washing chamber and viding a simple closure therefor.

lln the form. which has been found most desirable, the tank is provided with a hinged cover and with a vertically movable support which is connected with the cover in such a way that when the cover is opened the support is raised to the level of the top of the tank and when the cover is closed the support is lowered within the tank so as to bring the rack into washing position. Table tops or shallow troughs extend from the edge of the top'of the tank and provide means from which the racks may be slid pro- upon the support and. means upon which the racks may rbe slid from the support, when the support is in raised position; they serve also to direct any water dripping from the dishes back into the tank.

Other objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in connection with a detailed description of the specific embodiment of the invention shown in the accompaying drawings, in whichi Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the tank, sectioned on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3, showing the cover open and the support in raised position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the cover closed and the support in lowered position; e

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the tank sectioned on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing lie cover open and the rack in raised posiion;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the complete apparatusv showing the cover of the tank in closed position;

" Fig. 5 is a top view of the complete apparatus showing the cover of the tank open,

the washing mechanism and linkages being omitted for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the rack support;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fi 8 is an enlargedsection on line 8--8 of Flg. 6;. and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a modified arrangement of the tables.

The tank 10 which may conveniently be made rectagular in form, as shown in the drawings, is open at the top. At the upler edge of the tank 10 are three externa projecting flanges 11, 12 and 13 located at the sides and front of the tank respectively. Located upon opposite sides of the tank l0 ino are tables 15 and 16, each provided with a flat top 17,18 (Figs. 4and 5) The inner edge of the table top 17 is secured to the dange 11 of the tank 10, so as to form a water. tight joint therewith, while the outer ortion of the table top is supported upon egs 19. The inner edge of the table top 18 is secured to the Harige 12 of the tank 10 so as i 18 are both inclined towards the tank 10.

lf desired the tables 15 and 16 may be arranged at right langles to each other `and their tops 17, 18 secured to the flanges 13 and 12res ectively, as illustrated in Fig. 9.

'llhe tanlr 10 is provided with washing mechanism adapted to project water or other washing medium against the articles to be washed in the tank. Any suitable form of washing mechanism may be used for this purpose, the particular form of the washing mechanism not being material to the present invention. lin the form shown in the drawings, for the sake of illustration, the washing mechanism comprises a washing unit including a rotary spray arm 26 having upwardly directed discharge orifices 27 of whlch the two end ones are inclined, a pump 28 for drawing water from the tank and forcing itthrough the spray arms and a motor 29 for driving the pump. No claim is made herein to the washing unit illustrated, as this forms .-.the subject matter of a copending application of Herbert E. Merseles, Henry R. Merseles, Charles F. Simmons and Paul H. Engel, filed May 5, 1921, Serial No. 467,046, and certain features of it form a part ofthe subject matter 'of a co-pending application of Herbert E. Merseles and Frank W. Bemm, filed October 9, 1919, Serial No. 329,533.

rIhe tank 10 is provided with a cover 30 which is hinged to the back of the tank. rllhe cover 30 is provided with downwardly projecting flanges 31, 32, 33 at its front and sides respectively, and these flanges lie` just inside of the flanges 11, 12,13 and inside of the` inner ends of the table tops secured to these flanges when the cover 30 lis closed. 'llhe cover 30 is provided with a handle 46.

A vertically movable support35 is prol vided for the racks in which the dishes or other articles are to bevplaced. When the apparatus is provided ywith the particular washlng mechanism illustrated in the drawings or other form of washing mechanism adapted to project the washing medium upwardly in the tank, the support 35 is made meager open, that is to say, it contains one or more openlngs of sucientextent to permit the washing medium projected upwardly from the washing mechanism to pass through it. lin the construction illustrated, the support is in the form of an open frame. Braces 35 extending across the frame of the support, may if desired, be provided. The support 35 is connected to the cover 30 by linkage which includes; a linkl36 pivoted at one end to a bracket 37 on the cover and at the other to the support 35 at 38; a link 39 pivoted at one end to a bracket 40 secured to the inside oi.z the back of the tank 10 and at the other end to the support 35 at 41; and a link 42 pivoted at one end to a bracket 43 on the cover and at its other end to an intermediate point 44 of the) link 39. The links 36 and 42 are bent or curved so that they do not project above the upper surface of the support 35 when the cover is open (Fig. 1 'llhe links described lie close to one si e of the tank 10 while similar links 36', 39', 42 are placed at the other side of the tank.

`When the cover 30 is opened to the position indicated in Fig. 1 the support 35 is raised by the links to a position in which its upper surface is on a level with the in-` ner ends of the table tops 17, 18. A stop 45 secured to the inner Wall of the tank 10 engages the link 39 to prevent backward movement of the cover and upward movement ofthe support beyond the position indicated in Fig. 1.

When the cover 30 is closed as shown in Fig. 2, the support 35 is lowered to washing position, that is, to such a position that the washing medium projected from the washing mechanism will strikev the-articles. carried by the support. The closing movement of the cover is arrested by` the engagement of the front flange 31 #of the cover with an inwardly rejecting fla-ngc 47 on the front wall of tlc tank 10.

llt should be noticed that the support 35 is exactly horizontal when -in raised position (Fig. 1) and when in washing position (Fig. 2). In intermediate positions the support 35 is. substantially' horizontal and its motion is substantially vertical.

'llo facilitate the raising of the support 35 means are ,provided to counterbalance the weight of the support and the articles placed thereon, as well as the weight olff'fthe cover. The counterbalancing means are most desirably placed outside the tank 10. lin the form shown in the drawings the counterbalancing means and the connecting mechanism associated therewith comprise the following'l parts: Short stub shafts 50 are mounted in bearings 51 'extending through opposite side walls in the tank 10. To the outer end 4ot each stub shaftO is secured an arm 52 to lll@ neger which is attached the upper end ot a tension spring 53. rThe lower end of each spring 53 is adjustably secured to a projection 56 upon the outside of the tank 10 by means of a bolt 57 and nut 58. 'lo the inner end of each of the stub shafts is secured an larm 54 which has at its free end an inwardly projecting pin which bears against the lower side of the support 35. rlhe springs 53 tend to draw down the arms 52 and to torce up the arms 54;, thus counterbalancing the weight of the support, the linkage, and the cover, as well as that of the articles placed upon the support. lt should be noted that when the springs 53 are in the position in which they are least extended (F ig. 2) they are substantially perpendicular to the arms 52 and that as the springs become more extended their tension is applied at a more and more acute angle to the arms 52. The springs exert a stronger tension when more extended, but since they pull at a more acute angle to the 'arms 52 when extended their effective upward force upon the support is substantially the same throughout the movement of the support. By means of the nuts 58, the tension of the springs may be regulated in accordance with the weight of the articles to be placed upon the s-upport l35, so that the cover may be opened and the support raised by a very slight eiort.

To aid in properly positioning the racks upon the support 35, the support is provided at its outer edges with upwardly projecting lips 60, 61. 'llhe lips 61 at the sides and front of the support are low so that they do not interfere materially with sliding racks onto and od' of the support. The

lip 60 at the rear edge of the support is.

preferably made somewhat higher than the lips 61. .i

ln using the washing apparatus described, a rack A is placed upon the table top 17 (Fig. 4) and there filled with soiled dishes or other articles. The cover 30 is opened, bringing the support 35 level with the inner edges of the table tops, and the rack A is slid along the table top 17 between the lips 21 and onto the support 35, and then occupies the position illustrated in Fig. 1. The cover 30 is then closed, causing the support 35 with the rack A upon it to move down to washing position, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The washing' mechanism 25 is. then operated, projecting water against the articles carried by the support. With the form of washing mechanism illustrated, the Water is projected upwardly against the dishes through the open support 35 and the open bottom of the rack. After the dishes have been washed they may be rinsed by means of the washing mechanism 25 or by separate rinsing sprays not shown in the drawings. When the cleansing has been completed, the cover 30 is opened, raising the support 35 and the rack A, now containing the cleaned dishes, to the position indicated in Fig. 1. The "rack is then slid from the support 35 to the table top 18 as indicated in Fig. 5. Another rack containing soiled dishes may then be slid onto the support 35 from the table top 17 before the cover 30 is again closed. As seen in Fig. 4 the top of the cover 30 is at the same lheight as the table tops when the cover is closed so that the cover may be used as a'continuation of the table tops when the machine is not in operation.

il wish it clearly understood that my invention is by no means limited to the specic embodiments of it described.

at is claimed is:

1. Washing apparatus, comprising thecombination ot a tank open at the top, a cover for said opening, washing mechanism .adapted to direct a washing medium against support when the articles reach washing position.

2. ln washing apparatus, the combination of a tank open at the top, washing mechanisin adapted to direct a washing medium against articlesy placed in washing position in the tank, a substantially vertically movable support inthe tank for articles to be washed, means tor arresting a downward movement or the support when the articles are in washing position, means for raising the support, and means for arresting the upl ward movement of the supportvwhen its article-supporting surface is substantially at the level ont the top edge ot the tank.

3. Washing apparatus, comprising the combination of a tank open at the top, a hinged cover for said opening, washing mechanism adapted to direct a washing medium against articles placed in washing position in thetank, a movable support in the tank for articles to be washed, and linkage connecting the support and the cover and arranged to maintain the support horizontal in washing position when the cover is closed, to maintain the su port horizontal substantially at the level o the top of the tank when the cover is open, and to move the support between said positions when the lll@ lld

ice

cover is Amoved while maintaining the support always substantially horizontal. j 4l. ln washing apparatus, the combination of a tank containing washing mechanism and the -cover ,adapted to raise or lower the `Support when the cover is opened or closed,

and means for counterbalancing the weight of the cover, the support and the articles upon the support so as to facilitate the moving of the support by manipulating the cover.

5. ln washing apparatus, the combination of a tank open at t e top, washing mechanism adapted to direct a washing medium Aagainst articles placed in washing position in the tank, a support in the tank for articles to bewashed, means for moving said support in a substantially vertical dlrection between washing position and the top of the tank, counterbalancing meansor facilitating such movement, and a stop adapted to arrest upward movement of the support when its article-supporting surface is substantially at the level of the top of the tanka 6. In washing apparatus, the combination "of a tank open Jat the top, washing mechanism adapted to direct a washing medium against articles placed in washing position in the tank, a movable support in the tank for articles to be washed, means rfor moving said support substantially vertically between washing position and a position substantially at the level of the top of the tank,

' means located outside the tank for counterybalancingthe weight of' the support and the articles thereon, and a connection between said support and said counterbalancing means extending through a wall of the tank.

meager 'i'. Washin apparatus, comprising a rectangular tan open at the top, a cover for saidl opening, a hinge connecting said cover to the back upper edge of the tank, washhigher ridge extending along the back of said flat Surface,'means for moving said su port substantially vertically in the tan means for arresting downward movement of the support when the articles in the rack arel in washing position, and means for arresting upward movement of the support when its flat surface is substantially at the level of the top of the tank.

8. Washing apparatus, comprising the combination of a tank open at the top, a coverA for said opening hinged to the tank at the back upper edge thereof, washing mechanism in the tank, a support having a substantially unobstructed upper surface, and links connecting the cover with the support adapted to raise the support so 'that its upper surface is sat the level of the top of the tank when the cover is opened, said links being so bent that they lie below and behind the upper surface of the support when the cover is open.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing wltnesses.

HERBERT E. MEESELES.

-sliding a rack onto said flat surface and a 

